Through a Shattered Heart
by LovingEden
Summary: Jacqueline Blair, an eighteen year old girl and the daughter of Cassandra Blair finds herself living with the family of Barnabas Collins after her step-father runs into trouble. Everyone in this family is hiding a secret. In the Old House numerous untold stories unravel, and it seems that no secret is bigger than Cassandra's. Rating may change (New version of Shattered)
1. Chapter 1

_**"Time it took us to where the water was. That's what the water gave me. And time goes quicker. Between the two of us. Oh, my love, don't forsake me. Take what the water gave me."**_**- "What The Water Gave Me" by Florence and The Machine**

Barnabas sat upon a large rock near the shore, staring up at the bright moon through its reflection in the water. In that moment he seemed to envy the moon, for it could see itself and know that it is just as bright as it was the night before. Just hours before now he had been chasing after his beloved Victoria, following her off the cliff of Widows Hill in an attempt to save her life.

Just as he had feared, Victoria had died before the venom could find it's way through her body. Still, Barnabas held the girl in his arms, refusing to believe that she was truly gone. To his amazement he watched as her eyes fluttered open to reveal a pair of piercing red eyes. Before he could say a word the woman spoke, "Josette." She said plainly. In a way she had corrected his pleas, which had been directed towards another soul, another body, and another life.

Without a second thought, Barnabas brought his lips to Josette's passionately. Not daring to ask how she had came back to him, for he was seemingly too happy to care that the woman he loved first had taken the body of the soul who loved him last.

It was hours before they left the bottom of the hill, and they took their time finding a way back to Collinwood. As they walked, Josette went on to explain to Barnabas how she had found her way back to him. She answered every question Barnabas had, smiling when he asked if Victoria's soul was at peace.

"She's the happiest she's ever been. She's safe." Josette had taken a hold of both of Barnabas' hands, gripping them tightly as she stood in front of him. "But Victoria did love you, for you made her feel the safest she had ever felt before now. But she knew I loved you more, and I owe her everything now."

"What do you mean, my love?" Barnabas' asked in a soft whisper.

"No one, not even your family, can know that I have done what I have done. They must believe that I am Victoria and that my corpse is still dead, because it is. I owe it to Victoria to live on her life as if she were still living. And if we are to ever have children, we can only tell them of how you and Victoria met and that she reminded you of me."

"But Josette I-" Barnabas was silenced by Josette bringing her lips to his softly.

"Please call me Victoria." Josette whispered against Barnabas' lips and he nodded his head softly, letting go of only one of her hands so they could continue making their way towards Collinwood. And as they walked, Barnabas' thumb played with the diamond ring on her finger.

Since then it had been eighteen years in which _Victoria_ had given birth to all six of his children. The oldest being Veronica, who's birthday she evidently shared with the real Victoria Winters. July 17th, 1973. It hadn't been long before he had watched his wife give birth to twins, Quentin and Abigail. They were born in May of 1974 on the 19th. In February of 1975, Millicent was born, and by then after only three years of marriage Barnabas was the father of four children, three girls and one boy.

Throughout the next fifteen years, Barnabas welcomed only two more children into his family. Margaret and Annabella. Margaret had been named after the true name of Victoria Winters - Margaret, Maggie for short. Margaret was fourteen now, and since she was born in December she was going to be turning fifteen in a matter of weeks.

Annabella was born on Octorber 21st 1987, which was five years ago that day.

"Daddy!" Annabella called out as she ran down the wooden steps which lead to the beach, "Come look what Uncle David got me!" She said excitedly, not paying any apology for her disturbance.

Barnabas smiled, quickly standing up from the sand to pick up his daughter and support her at his side as they walked up the wooden stairs which led to the backyard of the old house.

"There you are sweetheart." Victoria walked over to her husband and placed two kisses on each side of his cheek. "I sent Bell out to find you."

"It's fine, I'm terribly sorry for leaving, I just had a lot to think about." Barnabas made his way towards the kitchen table where Annabella was still opening presents. "I hope you haven't opened the gifts from your mother and I yet."

"I haven't." Annabella answered as she opened the presents given to her by her oldest sister.

"Good." Barnabas grinned at his daughter, trying to focus on his daughters expressions as she opened her gifts. For he had always loved seeing her, as well as all of his children smile. But it seemed that on this day, of all days, was the hardest day for him. Today marked the eighteenth anniversary of Angelique and Victoria's death.

It was hours until the family left the kitchen table, watching Annabella open each and every one of her gifts. With each gift she opened, she'd hold it up in the air for Margaret to take a picture with her camera. "Good god, how many gifts did you get her?" Margaret asked bitterly, checking to make sure she had enough film left by counting the number of unopened presents .

"You don't need to take a photo of every one." Barnabas muttered when Margaret came behind him to take a photo. "We won't even be in them."

"Yeah but Bells will be." Margaret countered as the flash went off, causing her father to temporarily loose his sight, blinking repeatedly to regain it. "Sorry dad." She shot an apologetic look over shoulder.

"It's fine my dear." Barnabas murmured as he rubbed his eyes.

By the end of the party Annabella had managed to fall asleep in her father's lap, and he softly carried her to bed with some of his other siblings carrying her gifts behind him. "Happy birthday, Bella." Barnabas whispered in his daughters ear after he pulled the covers over her. He kissed her forehead before leaving the bedroom to make his way to his own bedroom.

"Jacqueline it's time to go!" Cassandra called out from the bottom of the stairs, handing her last suitcase to her husband, Roger.

"She was supposed to help us get these in the car you know." Roger muttered, and Cassandra rolled her eyes.

"I know, she's just trying to get every last second out of this house before we move, you know I raised her here." Cassandra explained defensively, but Roger was not convinced.

"She could have gone to college, she was given a damn scholarship, so why isn't she sharing a dorm or an apartment." Roger ranted as he and his wife made their way out across the lawn to the car.

Roger had been asking the same question to Cassandra since they had found out they had to move, and each time, as well as this time, "She's worried about me. About us."

"She's never trusted me with you, don't act like she's the slightest bit worried about my safety. I could die tomorrow and she'd only shed a tear at the sight of you crying." Roger snapped. He tossed the last suitcase in the trunk and made his way across the lawn.

Cassandra's arms were now crossed, "That's not true!" She exclaimed, trying to catch up to her husband. "I know it seems like it, but she does care about you. And she does worry about you."

"She worries that I'm going to kill you or something. It's insulting. We've been married for five years, and I haven't laid a damn finger on you!" Roger hissed.

"I don't have to worry about you killing my mother, I'd kill you just for trying." Jacqueline muttered as she descended from the stairs, walking past Roger to the door before being stopped by Cassandra.

"At least let your step-father take your bags?" Jacqueline took a quick look at Roger before letting out a scoff and walking out the door.

"I'll pass thanks." She muttered to herself as she placed her bags in the backseat. "It's bad enough I've got to sit behind him for four hours straight."

"See!" Roger hissed as he watched Jacqueline leave.

"Things will be different at Collinwood, she'll only know us. Jackie will have no choice but to talk to you." Cassandra walked back over to her husband, embracing him in a hug.

When Jacqueline came back inside her mother and step-father were still holding each other. She rolled her eyes at them, turning on her heel. "I'll be in the car."

For the next four hours after that Jacqueline sat in the back seat of the car with her feet propped up on her suitcase. She had planned on listening to music, but every time she had tried her mother would suddenly start talking about Collinsport, obviously trying to make it sound better than it truly was, for she hadn't even heard of the town before Roger had married Jacqueline's mom.

"Why is the town named Collinsport anyways?" Jacqueline asked, and almost immediately she caught sight of Rogers smug smile as his face turned away from the road.

"My family founded the town." Roger smirked before looking towards the road once again.

Jacqueline rolled her eyes at the thought of his, most likely idiotic, family having a town named after them. She knew they had a successful cannery, but shit the whole town was named after them? "So why don't you still live there? I mean you said your family has a mansion, but you're the only Collins who doesn't live there."

"I used to live there before you born, but up until recently I was at odds with my Uncle Barnabas."

"Who names their child Barnabas? Surely he goes by another name? Middle name?" Jacqueline raised an eyebrow at Roger through the review mirror.

"Oh no that wouldn't work." Cassandra shook her head at Jacqueline.

"Why what is it Roger?" Jacqueline sat forward, but Roger seemed confused.

"I don't know…" He answered, furrowing an eyebrow while Cassandra almost immediately changed the subject.

"Alright now about Collinsport…"

Barnabas had gone immediately to his coffin to sleep for the night. His thoughts were still on Angelique, as they always were on this day. It had been this way even when he was in the coffin, but those were thoughts of rage. These thoughts were more along the lines of guilt, but not despair.

The vampire had been so caught up in his thoughts, he hadn't payed much attention when Victoria had taken her place in the coffin next to his. It wasn't until her voice echoed the words _good night_ that Barnabas quickly repeated the same words back to her.

That next morning Barnabas made his way out to the beach again, sitting on the same rock as he had the night before. He pulled out a small piece of purple glass and sighed. "Angelique." He whispered to himself and placed the piece of glass back in to his pocket. Just then Josette appeared behind him.

"May I sit?" Victoria asked, looking down at Barnabas. He looked up and smiled.

"Of course my love." Barnabas smiled, sliding to the edge of the bolder so that Victoria could sit beside him. They sat in silence staring at the dark moonlit ocean, until Victoria lightly placed her head on Barnabas' shoulder, linking her arm with his. She let out a soft sigh, breathing in the cold air. Barnabas smiled, bringing his nose to her hair.

"Do you think Angelique could have changed?" Victoria's head tilted upwards on her lovers shoulder blade.

Barnabas was immediately thrown off guard. He and his wife never talked about Angelique or even the real Victoria,_ not ever._ He sighed as he thought of a way to answer his beloved's question. However that had always been the problem with Angelique, things with her were never simple.

Finally Barnabas managed to look out into the ocean, "Angelique was only the way she was because she did not have me. I know that now. She would have done anything for me to love her, but I didn't love her, I love you. I always have," Barnabas paused to look down at the woman leaning on his shoulder, watching as she seemed to tighten her grip on his arm. "And I always will."

"Always?"

"Always." Barnabas repeated, softly placing a hand on her cheek, brushing his thumb against her skin.

"Barnabas! Victoria! You'll never guess who's here!" David yelled from the wooden stairway.

Barnabas rolled his eyes, "I'm sure whoever it is-"

"It's dad!" David yelled and Barnabas looked over his shoulder in disbelief.

"Bloody hell." He muttered before quickly making his way across the beach and up the stairs, stopping at the top where David had waited for him. "Where is he?"

"In the kitchen." David answered, and Barnabas was gone in a split second.

In anger, Barnabas had used his speed to get to the backyard door, opening it with so much power that the handle broke. He stopped in the doorway when seeing Roger and a familiar looking woman sitting with him, her hands placed over his as if to comfort him.

The vampire cleared his throat and lifted his chin before slowly making his way towards the table. As he came closer, Barnabas was able to see that there was another girl standing in between their chairs, but that her hand was on the older woman's shoulder. "I thought you took care of this." The girl hissed at Roger.

"I did, Jackie." Roger snapped, but the girl simply rolled her eyes again.

"Hello Roger." Barnabas tried to make his tone sound as welcoming as possible, but only for the sake of the two women he had brought with him. He looked at the woman sitting next to him and the girl standing with a small smile. "I don't believe we have met, I'd remember."

"Surely." The woman next to Roger murmured. Barnabas stared at the woman in confusion, for even though he knew it was impossible, he felt as if he knew who this woman was. She must have felt his stare for she looked up again at him and smiled. "Surely I would have remembered as well." She stood up from her chair and held her hand out. "Cassandra Blair, but please call me Cassie."

Barnabas stared down at the hand of the woman before him, taking immediate notice of the diamond ring. "You are Roger's wife, I assume?" Barnabas finally managed to take her hand in his own, looking into her eyes as he brought it to his lips. The vampire had forced his eyes to look up at Cassandra, "Which means you're a Collins, Cassie." Barnabas' voice was surprisingly cold when saying her name aloud.

"Well no shit.." Jacqueline murmured as she took a seat in the chair that her mother had been sitting in, leaning back as she crossed her legs and arms.

All attention had turned to the eighteen year old, who now sat in the chair with both her legs and arms crossed.

"Jackie." Cassandra's warned, casually slipping her hand out Barnabas' grasp.

"I was joking." Jacqueline snapped at her mother, eyeing the man standing next to him, smirking when he raised a brow back at her.

Cassandra sighed as she made her way back to the table while Barnabas followed. "So what brings you all to the Old House?" Barnabas had taken a seat at the head of the table, watching as Jacqueline seemed to shake her head.

"I knew it.." Jacqueline glanced over at Roger, snarling at him in a way that reminded Barnabas of Carolyn. He raised an eyebrow at Jacqueline, watching her closely until realizing that she was now looking at him as well.

"She's your daughter Cassandra?" Barnabas kept her eyes only on Jacqueline as he spoke to her mother.

"Yes." Cassandra watched Barnabas as he seemed to study her daughter.

"You remind me of someone Jacqueline, actually two people." Barnabas' voice was cold and intimidating, and while Jacqueline refused to show her fear it was known by the way she breathed - inhaling slowly and silently to keep herself calm, forcing her eyes on the man sitting across from her.

"Barnabas?" Victoria was just now getting back inside, as was David. Both were making their way to the kitchen where she stopped at the sight of who, through memories, she knew to be Roger. Suddenly remembering David standing next to her, she looked up towards him worryingly. "Should we leave?" Victoria kept her eyes on David, though her question was directed towards her husband.

"I'm not going anywhere." David hissed, staring at Roger who had been trying to avoid eye contact with him.

"What's wrong Roger?" Jacqueline asked, thankful that she was no longer the center of attention.

"I didn't see you at the door." David furrowed his eyebrows at the girl.

"That's because I wasn't at the door." Jacqueline looked over at David, studying him for a moment. "I was at the car, getting luggage."

"Getting luggage for what?" David turned his attention to Barnabas.

By this time everyone in the room had gone silent, keeping their questions and comments to themselves. Barnabas waited patiently for Roger to begin speaking, but when it became obvious that he would have to be the one to break the silence.

"Roger, why exactly are you here?" he asked calmly, outstretching his arms on the sides of his chair. At his question Roger seemed to look towards his wife, taking a moment to exchange whispers between each other.

Barnabas had kept his eyes on Roger as he waited. He glanced up at David and Victoria out of the corner of his eye, motioning for them to take a seat at the table.

Roger froze for a moment when looking up again to see his son sitting across from him. "Hello son." He managed to say after staring at David for a solid minute.

"Roger you should know that while you were gone, Victoria and I took the liberty of legally adopting him."

"Don't you need some sort of consent to do that?" Cassandra looked over at Barnabas.

"My mother is-"

"Dead, I know." Cassandra spoke over nervously, clearing her throat as she looked down at the table.

"How..?" David paused at the sight of Cassandra's wedding ring, letting out a small scoff that caused Jacqueline to look up from her picking her nails something she only did when she was extremely nervous.

"You got remarried?"

"Did you miss that part?" Jacqueline found her speaking these words with the same sarcastic tone she had used with Barnabas. She turned her attention back to her nails, "I'm your step-sister by the way."

"David maybe it would be best if you and your father spoke elsewhere after he and I are through talking." Barnabas looked down at his nephew with concern.

"He's not my father, you are." David muttered, forcing his eyes back on Roger. "There's no need to talk to him, and he better not expect me to act as if he exsists. He never did."

"Jacqueline I really think it would be best if you went somewhere else for now." Cassandra looked up at Jacqueline with concern.

Jackie took a look at the people around her, watching as David made his way out of the kitchen before nodding her head once, "Fine." She spoke this in a quiet manner, standing up from her chair to leave the kitchen table, but not before placing a soft kiss on her mothers cheek.

"She's lovely." Barnabas whispered across the table once Jacqueline had left.

Cassandra had been watching the living room even after her daughter had passed it with David.

Barnabas waited until Cassandra finally looked away from the living room, shooting her a smile once her eyes met his. "Between you and her father she must-" The vampire suddenly paused when noticing Cassandra reach behind her neck in an act of discomfort.

"How old is she?" Victoria had taken immediate notice when seeing Jacqueline of how adult she physically appeared to be, although these days people always tried to make themselves look younger or older.

"She turned eighteen a few months ago, in July." Cassandra now had a smile on her face, which brought some sort of relief to Barnabas as he finally looked up at his wife.

"Really? We have a daughter who just turned eighteen, the same month too." Victoria's face seemed to glow with excitement. "Thank god she finally has a cousin who's the same age as her."

Cassandra had to force a smile onto her face as she looked from Victoria to Barnabas. Her voice was emotionless when she spoke, "You two have a daughter together?"

"We have five daughters." Victoria answered, and Cassandra's eyes seemed to widen due to pure shock.

"How in the bloody hell did you manage to have five children?" Cassandra looked to Roger with her eyes still wide.

"She forgot to mention our son, Jeremy."

"Holy shit, Barnabas." Roger looked over at Cassandra with a pair of wide eyes.

"Is Jeremy short for Jeremiah?" Cassandra looked to Barnabas, who nodded his head.

"Yes it is…" The vampire furrowed his eyebrows, wondering how Cassandra could have possibly even come to ask the question. "He was named after my uncle."

"I know." Cassandra's voice was similar now, and the way she smiled at Barnabas made him even more frustrated as he tried to figure out if he had ever met him before. She had already said that they hadn't, but people do lie and if she was lying that meant that there was something this woman didn't want him to know.

It was when Cassandra spoke again that he furrowed an eyebrow, "How do you-"

Cassandra stopped Barnabas in mid-question, leaning back in her chair. "My daughter took the time to read about the Collins, why I don't know."

"Are you sure we haven't met?" Barnabas asked again, for the way Casandra looked at him it seemed as if she had known him all her life.

"If we had you'd remember, Barnabas." Roger cut in, the tone in his voice more annoying to Barnabas than ever.

"What is it that you want Roger?" Barnabas asked sharply, turning his attention away from his nephew's wife for a moment to stare at him.

"Like I said, you were right - I did have a problem." Roger sighed, keeping his eyes on the table before him. "And I'm just now having to pay for some of them, and it's cost me everything."

"So you're here for what exactly? Money?"

"A place to stay." Roger answered plainly, finally looking up towards his uncle.

"And why should I let you come back to this home in the same manner as you left it?" Barnabas crossed his arms as he spoke.

"Because we're family." Roger answered nervously, looking from Victoria to Barnabas while biting his lip.

"Family stays together, but you left us. You left your son, who's now my son and I've given him more love and care than I'm sure you ever possibly gave." Barnabas' voice sounded more intimidating than ever.

"I've changed since then, and I'll prove it to you and David." Roger's voice was uneasy as he spoke.

Barnabas let out a sigh, looking to Victoria who's eyes seemed to spark with consideration. He looked back at Roger, "If we allow you to stay here, what exactly do you plan to do? I hope you don't expect for me to just forgive you instantly - you'll have to gain back our trust."

"I was planning to work for the Cannery, rumor has it that you've taken over Angelbay."

"You would be right, we have taken over Angelbay." Barnabas nodded his head once, "And I suppose if you stay here you can work with us there, after all Elizabeth has been short handed and could use an assistant."

"An assistant?" Roger's voice was cold as he looked up at Barnabas, obviously displeased.

"Roger, like I said, you must regain this family's trust. You're no longer on the same level in the business as us. Take it or leave it."

"Fine." Roger gave in, "I'll take it."


	2. Chapter 2

**October 25th 1972**

**_"Take it." _**

These were the last two words Angelique spoke to the man kneeling in front of her outstretched hand. The hand that held what she had already given him so long ago. Her heart had always been his, but he had never truly claimed it.

_and now he never will._ Angelique's thought caused her heart to suddenly break within her hand. Shattering into a million pieces as the darkness stole her life away.

_There goes the life. The life that was never lived._ Barnabas thought aloud. He was staring at Angelique's corpse and her last two words were echoing in his mind. He saw the purple pieces that had been her heart had fallen from her hand into a small pile that lay inches from his feet. He half wondered if purple was the color of every humans heart. _She was not human, she was always a monster. Just like you have been for two hundred years. _Barnabas ignored the words with a shaken head.

_She was not a monster. _Barnabas countered his own thoughts. _Not before she met me. _

_And it was one hundred and ninety-six. His thoughts spoke these words in the forms of Angelique's voice. Don't exaggerate. _

Barnabas now knew the answer to his curiousity, and that Angelique was not exaggerating when she claimed that she had given him her heart, that she had worshipped him, that she loved him. For he could see there was one piece within the small pile of glass that was red. As red as a humans heart.

Women are undone by loving you.

Julia. Josette. Your beloved Josette.

Angelique. The first of four hearts that he had broken in a way that was unrepairable. He had stolen humanity from all of them, but the woman whose corpse was now lying before him had been the first humanity he had stolen.

Everyone you love will die. That was his curse for taking away Angelique's humanity. For he had made it clear that she would never die by this curse if he never loved her. But he had loved her, until she was broken.

What about Julia?

She loved you in and in a way you loved her as well, you looked at her as the sister that had been taken away from you. And when you realized Julia was nothing like Sarah, you killed her and a small part of yourself for even believeing so.

Gently, as if he feared that the pieces would break into even smaller pieces, Barnabas picked up the single red piece. Looking over at the pile he realized that this was the smallest piece of all, the only piece that had been left of her humanity. Everything else had been taken from her, by him.

He thought of how hard Angelique must have held onto that piece of her once he had denied her. He wondered if she had to look deep within her to find her last piece of humanity, and if she gave up if never finding it.

As if just now remembering the fact that his beloved Collinwood was in flames Barnabas looked to David, his eyes widened at the sight of a shadow hovering in front of him. He reminded himself of Victoria and rushed up the stairs yelling her name.

_Everyone you love will die._

__Angelique's words echoed within his mind at the exact moment Barnabas stepped in the doorway of Victoria's empty room, and though he had never seen the inside of her room, he knew Josette had been a guest in this same room. _Widows Hill._

Turning on his heel he rushed down the hallway using the sort of inhuman speed he had only used to capture his prey, and for the mirror ball incident.

Barnabas found himself stopping in front of Angelique's corpse again, whispering the simple words "So this is what it is like, to see life through a shattered heart. A life which can only be described as it's synomn, _lifeless."_

With these words Barnabas turned away from the chandelier, walking towards the door with a determined stance.

"She said Widows Hill." David said, however his uncle seemd to only walk past him and make his way down the driveway. It was seconds before Barnabas used his inhuman speed, and in the mist of a simple blink he had disappered into the shadows.

"David! Get away from the doorway now!" Elizabeth half dragged him down the steps away from Collinwood, not stopping until she was sure they far enough away to be safe from the fire.

David took immediate notice of Carolyn, now awake and in her human form. She was standing next to Willie, her face turned to him in conversation until looking over her shoulder to make contact with her mother.

"David!" Carolyn exclaimed, running to him with her arms outstretched preparing to wrap him in a hug. Usually being a ten year old David would force off hugs and love, trying to prove himself strong. But he now knew that there was no longer a need to prove his strength to anyone, and he allowed his older cousin to wrap his arms around him _and pick him up off the ground and spin him high in the air as if he weighed no more than a toddler. _

"You little shit I thought I lost you back there!" Carolyn said after David's feet were planted firmly on the ground once again.

"Carolyn!"

David and Carolyn exchanged a smiled at Elizabeth's warning, for even in the most stressful times -when there are obviously more important things than Carolyn's foul toungue, Elizabeth would never Carolyn or David treat any different than any mother would.

Carolyn had released David from her embrace and she made her way to her mother just as a loud sound came from the burning manor. Everyone around David seemed to take a step back, and it was Elizabeth who pulled him into an embrace at her side. He looked over and saw that Carolyn had wrapped her arms around her mother's waist with her head buried in Elizabeth's shoulder.

Angelique_ awoke_ to the sound of shuffling at her feet, and for a moment she wondered if she had _dreamt_ her own death.

The sound of shuffling moved closer to her ear, and she was now certain that wherever she was she was not alone. With this relization her eyes fluttered open. With only her teal eyes moving, Angelique looked around the room. She was lying in a bed that was set against the colorless wall of a bedroom.

Angelique then looked out of the corner of her eye, catching a glimspe of a tall figure standing in front of a mirrored dresser. She held back her wanting to gasp, but it caused her breathing to become unsteady and a severe pain came from her stomach. She hissed at the pain and the figure turned around to face her.

"You were shot in the stomach. Do not worry, your child is fine."

Angelique stared at the person standing before her. A man. A man who was not Barnabas and didn't dress like someone who would know him, wearing plain white tee shirt and worn out jeans that seemed to have paint on the sides. _Paint that looked an awful lot like blood. _

The man appeared to be in his mid-thirties to late fourties, but Angelique Bouchard knew more than anyone that looks can be decieving.

"I'm Nicholas, Nicholas Blair." The man finally said after noticing the way Angelique was staring at him, with no other emotion except utter confusion. "And you're Angelique Bouchard, my cousin."

_"Cousin?" _Angelique thought aloud. Her tone held an extreme amount of disbelief, for she had been told by her own mother, Clare, that her grandparents had died and that Anggelique's mother had been their only child.

"Yes. I am your cousin. It's more obvious with your hair brown, see?" Nicholas moved away from the mirror to reveal Angelique's reflection.

However, Angelique's eyes remained on the man standing in front of her.

"Just look."

Angelique slowly turned her attention to the mirror that was hanging on the wall across from the bed that she lay in. Her eyes widened at the sight of her newly dyed hair. It was now a ginger red color, but it still held a faint brown tint. "But this hair color is..."

"The color is should be, if you had gone out in the sun more often as a child. I've never known it possible for anyone to be so pale." Nicholas spoke with a faint tone of arrogance._ "Ever."_

"Except Vampires - I've seen enough of those, but you are only shades darker than them." Nicholas looked at Angelique through the mirror, and she saw that his lips were holding a small frown. At the moment they made eye contact Nicholas turned to face her again and he leaned back on the dresser.

Angelique simply stared at Nicholas and though there were thousands of questions spinning through her head, she could only bring herself to open her mouth and ask, _"Child?" _

Nicholas was smiling now,. His head inclined as if in a nod, "You are with child, yes. And I would know because I've been a doctor for a very long time."

"How long?"

"Over one hundred years. I was the doctor to injured solidiers for both of the World Wars. Thank god you and I do not come from vampires - or else who knows what would have happened to those men." Nicholas let out a sigh of relief at the thought.

"You're a warlock?" Angelique asked stupidly and quickly shook her head before Nicholas could answer or make a sarcastic comment, "Nevermind."

Nicholas smiled faintly, "I love how you're not asking me if I am sure that you are pregnant, after all you are only what seems to be a few weeks along. And I'm going to guess that you do not know who the father is.."

"Do not act as if you do not know of my affairs with Barnabas Collins, after all you seem to know everything else. Meanwhile all I know is that you are a doctor. What kind I'm not sure."

"I'm what humans call a doctor and what witches and warlocks call a healer."

"That's what my mother was, a long time ago. Well at least _that's what they called her._" Angelique and Nicholas spoke simultaniously and he nodded in agreement.

"How have I not-"

"Met me before...? Well that's simple, your mother and my father were twins. However, my mother took me from my father when I was very young. As soon as he found my father's tarrat cards we were gone. But it was too late to change the fact, that I am my father's son."

"Okay you need to stop that."

"Stop what?" Nicholas raised an eyebrow in question only to have Angelique respond with a scoff and pair of rolled eyes.

"Speaking for me. I didn't damage my vocal cord did I? Or lose any brain cells for that matter?"

"No, no you didn't. And as I said before about surprises why haven't you-"

"Asked about how I'm not dead?" Angelique was smirking and had managed to sit up against the bed frame, forcing herself to ignore the pain coming from her stomach. "I'm not interested in knowing about any of that right now. I'm sure you'll tell me, but for now I need to know who you are."

"Well you would know, if your mother and my father hadn't hated each other so much. Your mother never even knew about me, until my mother finally contacted my mother."

"Why not call your father? If my mother hadn't gotten along with her own brother, I'm sure she wouldn't have gotten along with her sister-in-law. "

"My father was dead, and my mother was in need of getting rid of me and the magic." Nicholas explained. "Anyways, your mother said to mine that if I needed to be put in a safer enviorment that she would find a way for me to live in Martinique. And Clarissa did. I was put into an orphanage and adopted into an extremely wealthy family, however the family manors were located in Salem and Collinsport."

"Salem is the witch capital of the world..." Angelique's eyes were wide as she spoke in a soft whisper. Nicholas nodded in confirmation.

"Well I was very good at hiding my abilities. It's not that hard, really. I'm sure it wasn't for you." Nicholas winked at Angelique. "The family also had a manor in Collinsport. We moved there permenately when my adoptive mother died, and my adoptive father decided to invest time into working with the Collinses. He was the vice president of the company."

"Your adoptive father was..." Angelique's voice trailed off at the sight of Nicholas bobbing his head once more. _Why do I even ask? _She thought to herself and fought off the urge to roll her eyes again.

"Andre Du Pres, yes. And he was a fantastic father to me, and I want to help you and your child. Even though you killed my sister, Josette. I'm sure if you would have known-."

"Don't be so sure..." Angelique mumbled while looking down at her exposed arms. They were covered in bruises, scratches, and cuts. However, every crack had vanished from her body. _Every single crack. _

"My heart...it was-?" Angelique stopped herself, looking up from the part of her chest where her heart lay to look at Nicholas in question.

"Shattered -into a million pieces. I can't answer the question to how you are living but I can tell you what I think it is." Nicholas looked as if his theory were too obsurd to even bother listening to, a sign of insecurity to Angelique.

She nodded her head, "And...?"

"Well I think that whatever it is, it has something to do with that thing inside you. I'm not sure if it's the hormones or it's gene make up, but I believe it is the child that is keeping you alive. Which gives me only a few months to find out how to keep you alive after the child is born."

"I'm sure you'll find a way, Doctor Blair." Angelique smiled faintly, as if smiling the ghost of a smile.

"I hope so..." Nicholas wore an unsure look on his face, and though it worried Angelique she forced herself to think of happier thoughts. She stared down at her stomach as Nicholas made his way towards the door. Slowly, she placed her hands on both sides of her abdomen.

"It's not possible to be completely sure, but I do think that you are pregnant with a girl.." Nicholas spoke over his shoulder before turning the door knob and stepping into the hallway. Leaving Angelique to wonder how it was possible for her to be pregnant. Witches can rarely bare children, which is why her own mother had kept Angelique at her side at all times. _Unless.._

_Unless you __**are**__ human. _


	3. Chapter 3

_**You're a fraud and you know it**_

_**But it's too good to throw it all away**_

**_It's like magic_**

**_But it's always been a smoke and mirrors game_**

**_Anyone would do the same_**

_**- **_**"Smoke and Mirrors" by Gotye**

** 1776 - June 25th - Collinwood**

"You just sort of hold it like this." Barnabas demonstrated how to securely tie a boat to a dock to two women. He smirked as they leaned in interest.

Once the knot was tight he took a step back to place his hands on his hips. The women exchanged a smile with each other. When they looked back at him, they caught sight of a brunette staring at them over Barnabas' shoulder.

"Who is that?" One of the women asked and Barnabas quickly looked over his shoulder, letting out a sigh at the sight of Angelique.

"A friend of mine…" Barnabas' voice trailed off as he snarled annoyingly at the women smirking back at him. He looked back at the two women with a charming smile. "I really must be going." He quickly turned away and made his way towards the brunette.

"Angelique.." Barnabas said in an annoyed tone.

"Barnabas.." Angelique copied.

A moment later the two of them broke into a smile.

She looked back at the women who were still staring at Barnabas, quickly linking her arm in his to pull him away. As they walked she looked back once again, "I see that you were showing off again." Angelique had always made fun of him, "One of these days I'll show you what _really_ wins a woman over."

"I think my method is just fine, thank you." Barnabas said firmly and Angelique laughed as they walked the town of Collinwood.

"Your method gets desperate women in bed, and I mean desperate." Angelique laughed at her own comment and Barnabas frowned.

"I think you're just jealous." Barnabas taunted, turning to look at her blankly when she laughed once more.

She nodded her head and forced off her laughter, patting Barnabas' arm. "You keep telling yourself that." Angelique smirked.

"I'm just saying, as your friend, and as a woman, I would not give you the time of day simply because you can keep a boat on it's dock. And I bet they were just pretending to be interested." She explained.

"This is why I am friends with you." Barnabas smiled.

"Why? Because I'm both beautiful and smart?"

"You're honest." He stated, only to have Angelique look at him with a quirked eyebrow. "In a sort of blunt, rude, funny sort of way." Barnabas added with a smirk.

"If only there was a woman of your status like me, right?" Angelique asked with a faint smile.

"There's no one _quite_ like you, Angelique, and I'd be lying if I said I wanted there to be." Barnabas and Angelique exchanged a smile between each other as they made their way out of the town, walking in silence the rest of the way to Collinwood.

"Master Barnabas, Sir?" The guard's voice stopped him at the gate, and for a moment he feared he was being stopped for the fact that his arm was still linked to Angelique's.

"Yes?"

Angelique and Barnabas both looked over their shoulders at the man as he reached a letter out to Angelique.

"This came for one of your maids today, _Angelique Bouchard._"

Angelique took the letter from the guard, "Thank you, sir." She inclined her head before walking through the gate with Barnabas.

Looking down at the letter in interest she suddenly stopped mid-way up the hill to Collinwood to open it.

"Angelique?" Barnabas looked over at the woman who had detached herself from him and was now walking in circles as she read. "What does it say?" He asked and took a step closer to her.

At the moment Barnabas stepped closer to Angelique the color seemed to fade from her cheeks, and her hands were shaking as they held the letter in her hands. "Barnabas.." Her voice was even more shaken as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Barnabas reached out to place her face in his hands, forcing Angelique to look up at him.

"She's dead, my mother. My mother is dead." Angelique gulped in an attempt to force back tears, only to choke a sob.

A moment later Barnabas had Angelique pressed against his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. "Shh…" He rubbed Angelique's back in a soothing manner, but she only continued to sob.

After a long time of standing in the middle of the cold weather Barnabas scooped Angelique into his arms. and by the time he made it to the front door she had fallen asleep.

It was Sarah, Barnabas' younger sister, who opened the door. At the first sight of Angelique being supported in Barnabas' arms, she stepped out of the way and quickly closed the door behind them.

"Take her to my room." Sarah said, following Barnabas down the hallway. As they turned around a corner they almost clashed into their mother, who's eyes widened at Angelique.

"I'll explain in a minute, mother." Barnabas answered before his mother could get a word in. He stepped around Naomi to follow Sarah to her bedroom.

Sarah was the first to step into her bedroom, quickly stepping out of the way so that Barnabas could lay Angelique down on the bed. Once he had his eyes remained on the sleeping woman as he reached into his suit pocket to pull out the letter Angelique had dropped due to shock, holding it out to his mother. She took in gently and read its contents aloud to herself in a mumble.

"What does it say?" Sarah appeared at her mother's side, looking over Naomi's shoulder in an attempt to read the letter. Naomi quickly moved away from her and let out a gasp.

"Her mother is.." Naomi looked to her son in disbelief, "But her father is already.." She was almost able to say the word, but it pained her to do so.

"Dead." Barnabas nodded his head once. "Both of her parents are dead now."

"She's an orphan?"

Barnabas and Naomi both looked up towards Sarah, narrowing their eyes at her in a silent warning. Sarah looked back at them confused, but she said nothing else after that.

"She has no family now..." Barnabas looked down at Angelique once again, kneeling down in front of the matress. He reached out to pull a loose strand of hair behind the brunnette's ear.

"She never really did to begin with."

Barnabas looked up at his sister with a scowl, causing her to take a step back towards her mother. "Sarah." He warned in a low growl before looking to his mother.

Naomi looked down at the letter she was holding tightly in her hands, "I must go speak to your father. One of you please watch over Angelique, please." She turned on her heel and was gone without another word.

"Will she be alright?" Sarah spoke up. Her arms were folded across her chest as she watched Barnabas stroke Angelique's cheek with his hand.

Her brother gulped, "She'll be fine."

"Will _you_?"

Barnabas looked up towards his younger sister, his mouth opened and closed as if he had suddenly decided that he did not know how to answer, and he didn't. Instead he simply held an arm out in the air and Sarah quickly walked across the room and knelt down next to her brother as he wrapped it around her, pulling her to him in a tight embrace.

"I'm fine, Sarah. I'm fine." He placed a kiss on Sarah's forehead.

Angelique felt arms wrapped around her own, and she was pressed against the warmth of someones chest. Afraid to move, she meerly buried her face in the crook of the strangers neck, which is when she smelt a familiar scent._Sea water and rose petals. Barnabas._

"Angelique? Are you awake?" Barnabas' body turned so that he was able to look down at her without loosening his tight and protective grip on her.

_Angelique didn't respond. _

Barnabas brought his lips near her ear, smiling as he spoke, "I heard you say my name. If you are not awake, then you are dreaming about me, and if you're dreaming about me…" His voice trailed off as he watched Angelique's lips try not to curl into a smile.

"You're so charming at times, it's quite.." Angelique paused as she tried to think of a word that would work best with her point. "Adorable."

"I'm adorable? Did you just call your master adorable? Ms. Bouchard-"

"My name is Angelique." She corrected her master while adjusting herself in his arms. For a moment he had thought she was pulling away, and he moved his arms away.

"What are you doing?" Angelique frowned as she looked up at Barnabas arms.

"I was um...just..." Barnabas looked at his arms that were being held i mid-air. He quickly brought them back to Angelique's waist, "I thought I was crushing you."

"You were." Angelique breathed as she brought her head to Barnabas' chest, her arms had wrapped around Barnabas back.

"Mother wants you to rest for the next few days, and that Sarah and I are to look after you." Baranbas stated as he tried to keep his breathing at a normal level for Angelique's own comfort.

"Wonderful." Angelique answered softly before falling asleep in the comfor of her masters arms once again.

**1991 - November 12th - The Old House**

It had been four weeks since Roger had moved in to the Old House. Barnabas had been surprised with how quickly Roger adjusted to his job at the cannery, it was as if he had never left. Every night when Roger got home he'd ask the same question, "Where's Cassie?"

"Do you mean Cassandra?" Barnabas found himself asking one night. As if there was any other woman his nephew could be looking for. He smirked, "She"s in the garden with Victoria and Millicent."

Usually once Barnabas would tell Roger where Cassandra was he'd run off to see her without asking another question, but this night Roger looked towards the garden door before letting out a disapointed sigh. "And Jacqueline?" Roger asked a moment later after deciding not to interupt his wife this night.

Barnabas was surprised to hear Roger ask where his step-daughter was, they rarely talked at all, let alone ask about one another. It was obvious to Barnabas from the moment he had met Jacqueline that she wasn't fond of sharing her mother with Roger, and he did not hold that against her. "She's in the library with David..I believe."

"Oh," Roger looked down at the floor for a moment before letting out a small sigh, "If you see _Cassandra_ please tell her that I'd like to talk to her downstairs."

"Wait," Barnabas quickly sat up in his chair as Roger reappeared in the doorway, his eyebrow raised in question. He slumped back in his chair as he tried to think of a way to speak his thoughts, "Have you talked to David..at all?"

"No, but I'm sure whatever Jackie is telling him won't help the situation." Roger brought his hand to his temple, rubbing it in an act of stress. A moment later his hand was back at his side, resting in his pants pocket.

"Well David is old enough to know what's true and what is exaggerated." Barnabas found himself saying in a defensive tone.

"I hope so." Roger muttered before looking back towards the hallway, "Either way I really need to get this paperwork done for Liz, the last thing I need is for her to ride my ass about it later."

Barnabas nodded his head and Roger nodded once back at him before disappearing down the hallway, escaping to his room downstairs.

Barnabas let out an exhausted sigh once he was left alone in the dining room again, glancing down at the paper laying near his hand.

Before taking the paper in his hands he looked up towards the garden door again and frowned. His mind went back to the days he'd spend with Josette in the garden before they were vampires. He remembered once when it had began to rain, but Josette refused to go back inside. Baranbas was now smiling as he remembered chasing her through the rose bushes to find her sitting patiently on the cement bench.

"You found me,_ Master Barnabas_."

Quickly, Barnabas shook off the memory of what had actually been of Angelique Bouchard and himself running through the garden. He had been so sure that he had shared that he shared that moment with Josette, but he hadn't. How could he mistake a memory of Angelique as a memory of Josette?

_Because there was a time where she had made you happy. _A voice inside Barnabas' head said.

_**No, She never made me happy.**_ Barnabas thought aloud as he buried his head in his hands.

_"Who never made you happy?" _

Barnabas' nerves jumped at Jacqueline's disturbance and he brought his hands away from his head and pressed them against his chest, right over his unbeating heart. "I hadn't even heard you come in, Jacqueline."

"It's Jackie." Jacqueline corrected him as she took a seat at the end of the table. Barnabas inclined his head and murmured an apology. She smiled back at him. "Who was she? The woman you claim never made you happy? Is she the same woman David talks about? Angie _Bouchard_?"

"It was pronounced Bouchard." He corrected her sternly and Jacqueline seemed to go quiet.

There was a long moment of silence before Barnabas went on to answer the girl's question, his finger nails tapping the table lightly - but not carefully enough to stop them from scratching the mahagony table. "And yes, I was just...thinking about her." He was staring at the glass as he spoke.

"David thinks my mom looks like her - and he sort of thinks I do too." Jackie went on without acknowledging Barnabas' explanation. She was staring intently at Barnabas long fingernails, biting her lip in an act of nervousness. _**Long Fingernails, Pale Skin, Never leaves the house without his skin being completley covered?**_ **_Either he's afraid of the sun or he's what I once thought I was, a vampire. _**Jackie thought to herself until feeling his eyes upon her. She looked up at Barnabas cautiously. An instant discomfort rushed through her at the sight of Barnabas' widened eyes looking at her as if he were in shock. "What is it?"

"You do look an awfully lot like she did, but you have Sarah's eyes and ears. Sarah had a sort of glow to her but you do look an awfully lot like her as well. However, you are rather pale."

_You would know. _"Who's Sarah?" Jacqueline found herself asking. Not once had anyone spoken of Sarah and yet Barnabas spoke of her using only her first name. "Sarah Who?"

"Sarah Jacqueline Collins, she was my sister." Barnabas shifted awkwardly in his seat. He had taken his eyes off of Jackie long ago, returning his attention to the clear glass of red liquid.

_Was. As in past tense._ Jackie thought. _**As in dead. **_

"She disappeared a long time ago. No one knows what happened to her." Barnabas said as if he had read her thoughts. Finally, he looked over at the young girl once again. "Jackie, where is your father?"

"My uncle raised me, and I would have stayed with him when Mum married Roger - but since my uncle is really only my second cousin.."

"The law wouldn't allow you to stay with your caretaker? Surely if your mother said you were allowed to-"

"She didn't. Mum wanted me to stay with her, so I did. And now I know what David and I get along, because Roger isn't all that great at being a dad. Not even a step-dad." Jacqueline had her arms wrapped around her legs on the chair. She laid back with a dramatic sigh, "I haven't seen my uncle in three years, Roger won't let me."

"So in a way your uncle is your father?" Barnabas crossed his legs in his chair, bringing his chin to rest on his fisted hand. Jacqueline nodded.

"I've always wondered who my real father was, mostly so I can yell at him for passing on the big ears, abnormally pale skin, and oddly colored eyes. Oh and for this nose - I hate it." Jacqueline tapped the end of her nose with her index finger. She was smiling faintly.

Barnabas observed the traits Jackie had just complained about. "I happen to have quite large ears, Margret makes fun of me for it." Barnabas pushed back a lock of his slick brown hair to reveal an ear the exact same shape and size as Jackie's.

A moment later he pushed his hair back to hide his ear once again and seemed to widen his eyes as if he were angry. "I don't know what color my eyes are, but I believe they are a color quite similar to yours."

"And they're even bigger." Jackie stared into Barnabas eyes before letting out a small laugh. "But what about my pale skin."

"Jacqueline..." Barnabas now looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow. "Pale skin is something to be proud of. Especially with dark hair such as yours. It really brings out your eyes, your ears, and your nose. "

So much like Angelique. And yet so much like Sarah.

The two of them had been best friends since they first met each other, but they hadn't had time to spend together until after the death of Angelique's mother. Barnabas' parents had been planning to adopt Angelique as their own daughter, but the records were of course erased when they died. They had never told Angelique either, saying that they did not want to say anything until everything could be in writing.

Angelique had always been shy, while Sarah was extremely outgoing. However, they seemed to switch personalities after Sarah had gotten married and Angelique began to have an affair with Barnabas. Sarah had become more reserved, while Angelique was more adventerous. She was so adventerous it at first seemed to bring relief to Barnabas, knowing he could be himself around her. That was until Angelique began to show signs of possessiveness. And while Sarah never saw it, it was always clear to Barnabas that Angelique had wanted more than what he had currently been offering. _She wanted everything and instead you gave her nothing. _Barnabas' was now biting his lip hard, as if fighting off the urge to speak all of the thoughts that were rushing through his mind. _You broke her. You stole her humanity. It's all your fault. She was the first heart you broke, and she wasn't even the last, or the third._

"Barnabas?" Jackie stared at Barnabas, who was biting his lip with his back pressed against the back of his chair. He was breathing deeply, as if to calm himself down. "Are you alright?"

"I'm-I'm fine Jackie. It's just..." Barnabas' voice trailed off and he shook his head. "Nevermind."

Jackie simply stared at Barnabas in confusion, "You're lying." She said simply and he turned to her with an emotionless face. He eventually let out a sigh,

"You just remind me so much of them. You're the perfect mix of them both, so outgoing around people you don't know, and so introverted and emotionless around the people you've known for quite a while. I've never known it possible to be both confident and insecure at the same time."

"It makes me wonder if I am related to either of them."

"Distantly..._ perhaps you are._" Barnabas managed to smile at the thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Jackie had retreated to her bedroom after her conversation with Barnabas but not before asking one last question,

"Did you really not love her?" She was looking at him over her shoulder. "Did you really hate her that much?"

_Well of course he did,_ Jackie thought to herself, _she ruined everything he loved, _or at least that was how David had described her. An evil and heartless witch who showed no mercy in the act of harming others.

"There once was a time when I may have loved her, and there were many moments when I thought I was sure that I did. It wasn't until Angelique began to become posessive that I knew that I did love her, for I felt something break within me. I fell out of love with her at the same exact moment she fell in love with me."

"You see, that's why I don't want to fall in love."

"Why on earth would you not want to fall in love?" Barnabas stared at Jackie in disbelief. How could someone not want to know what it is like to be in love? To love someone more than yourself, _who wouldn't want that?_

"Because everything that falls _breaks_."

With these words Jacqueline turned her face away from Barnabas and made her way out of the dining room, walking through the kitchen door. The vampire had watched the door swing after she had closed it carelessly behind her.

Jacqueline came to a rough halt once in the kitchen. From the window on the garden door she could see two figures walk past, one being Victoria Collins and the other being her mother, Cassandra Collins.

_Does that make me a Collins now?_

This was the question Jacqueline had asked Cassandra when she had told her daughter that she was getting married. Married. _To a man Jacqueline had never met. _However, the way Cassandra had told her daughter, the excitement that wore her face was as bright as a light bulb. So she forced upon her own face the same excitement, for her mothers sake. And she had been doing so every day, until being told that she was moving.

It had been 25 days since Jacqueline had moved in - by Jacqueline's count. She rarely talked to any of Roger's family. Instead she walked the seemingly endless hallways of The Old House while children ran around carelessley and adults ran after them, and the teenagers didn't seem to give a single damn.

Jacqueline's first dinner with Roger's family had only attested to the fact that none of the teenagers liked her.

"Who the hell is this?" A fourteen year old girl named Margaret had asked her father. Jacqueline had to force herself not to take offense to the girl's tone.

"Margaret..." Her mother warned her. Jacqueline watched as the girl quickly backed down.

The room remained silent until Jacqueline finally dared to look up from her plate, her dark brown eyes meeting Margaret's. "I'm Jackie. _Who the hell are you?_"

Jacqueline was now smiling at the at the garden door, taken a sudden step back when it opened. Her mother had given her a worried look through the window before she had stepped in.

"Hello Jacqueline." Cassandra smiled at the sight of her daughter.

Jacqueline rushed up the stairs after she had finished speaking with her mother. There was a need to release herself of her pain. As the words her mother had said to her repeated through her mind, Jacqueline paid no attention to her surroundings. _I know how hard it is to not know anyone like you, but I promise you there is. And no matter what you'll always have me Jacqueline, always._

_"Are you alright?" _

_Jacqueline found herself lying on the ground next to David Collins, Roger's son. How did that happen? _

_"Sorry I was in a hurry." She quickly brought herself to her feet, and turned to walk away. _

_"It's cool.." Jacqueline heard David call back just as she turned down the hallway, making her way towards her bedroom. _

Nights in white satin,  
Never reaching the end,  
Letters I've written,  
Never meaning to send.

Her stressful thoughts left Jacqueline as she danced to the music coming from the record player.

Beauty I'd always missed

With these eyes before,

Just what the truth is  
I can't say anymore.

It's what happened to her when she danced, her feet would just start moving and soon she was swimming within the elegance of it all.

"What on earth are you doing?" A voice interupted Jacqueline and caused her to nearly fall backwards.

"Were you dancing?"

"Sort of yeah." Jacqueline sighed and walked over to the record player to turn it off. "What do you want anyways Margaret?"

Margaret frowned at Jacqueline's question, "I just wanted to say hey."

"Hey?"

"Yeah like 'hello' or 'hi'." Margaret went on sarcastically and Jackie rolled her eyes.

"Well now that you've said hello-"

"I wanted to see why you don't talk to any of us." Margaret said quickly before Jacqueline could tell her to leave.

"I could ask you all the same question." Jacqueline's arms were crossed as she spoke.

"Look if you're still mad about that incident a few weeks ago.." Margaret started but Jacqueline held her hand out to silence her.

"I'm not mad anymore."

Margaret sighed and walked into the center of the bedroom where Jackie stood, "Well then can we start over?"

Jacqueline bit her lip hesitantly before finally reaching her hand out to the fourteen year old. "Hi, I'm Jacqueline Blair. Please, call me Jackie."

Margret looked down at Jackie's hand and smiled, reaching to hold it in her own. "I'm Margaret Collins. Please, do not call me Maggie or I'll-"

Jacqueline cleared her throat and Margret quickly stepped down and slipped her hand back into her pocket. "So you dance, huh?"

Jacqueline followed close behind as Margaret led her to what her family called the media room. It was a place David and Barnabas had put together once all of the children had grown up. Up until now Jackie hadn't step foot in that room, or any other room except for her own and her mother's.

The door was open when they got there, and Margaret walked into the room causally. Jacqueline was still standing near the door, unsure of what to say and who to say it to.

"Come on Jacqueline, we don't bite." Margaret reappeared in the doorway and held her hand out to Jacqueline. Jackie ignored Margaret's hand and walked past her, stopping at the sight of four teenagers staring at her. They were sprawled out on vibrant colored couches and chairs. The room itself was huge, it's layout like the inside of a large castle tower. The ceiling was made of glass but the sun was covered by clouds ; As Jacqueline noticed it always was.

The walls were also covered head to toe with books, and Jacqueline noticed someone standing in front of one of the shelves. "That's not true, Millicent is a-." The person looked over his shoulder to look at Margaret. "Hello Jacqueline."

"You were saying something before...what _is_ Millicent?" Jacqueline asked.

"You could have said hello, or hey." Another male voice said and Jacqueline looked over her shoulder to see Quentin sitting in a bean bag chair, his eyes focused more on the game he was playing.

"Says the seventeen year-old with a Nintendo 64." Quentin's twin sister, Abigail, countered.

"Oh just finish making your latest freak tool and shut up." Quentin hissed and Jacqueline felt a sudden uncomfort rush through her.

To Jackie's surprise, it was Millicent who looked up at the girl and then back at the fighting twins, "Guys you're scaring her away. Shit, you're fixing to scare me away."

"Good." The twins both said at the same time and Jacqueline felt her lips part in shock.

Millicent sighed and stood up from her seat and made her way across the room to where Jacqueline stood. "Ignore them, they're idiotic nerds who nobody likes anyways." She informed and shot Jackie a smile. "And what David said before, he was joking. He's an ass too."

With these words Millicent took a loose hold of Jacqueline's wrist and pulled her into the room and over to the couch she was sitting at. Margaret had left to go talk to David and then made her way to the neon green couch with a load of books in her hands.

"Edgar Allan Poe?" Millicent broke off the conversation she had been having with Jacqueline to look at her younger sister.

Margaret shook her head, "Shakespeare."

"You're fourteen and you're reading Edgar Allan Poe and Shakespeare?" Jacqueline's eyes widened. Margaret simply shrugged.

"I'm re-reading Shakespeare, I think I read them too fast." Margaret frowned. Jacqueline forced her facial expression to return normal, but she still held a slight disbelief on her face.

"How fast did you read them all?" Jackie asked, her voice holding a small amount of shock.

"Three days." Margaret answered and opened her book to the first page of a book she had chosen at random.

"Yeah she doesn't have many friends..." Quentin looked over his shoulder to smirk at Jackie. Margaret rolled her eyes and brought her attention to the book resting in her knees.

"Alright all of you shut up." A female voice demanded. Jacqueline looked up to see a tall blonde girl standing in the doorway. She looked like someone who got along with either everyone or no one at all. The way she dressed said she got along with no one - ripped jeans, sneakers, and a plaid shirt. While her face that held a faint smile and unlike her heavy grunge style her make-up was much more soft.

The girl's eyes finally fell upon Jacqueline. She didn't look surprised but she let out a noise that said otherwise. "Who finally got the bird to come out of their cage?"

Margaret, without looking up from her book, raised her hand and then brought it back down a moment later. The girl nodded her head, "Way to go Maggie."

Margaret ignored her disliked nickname and put up her thumb, again without looking up from her book. "I do my best Veronica."

Veronica walked into the room and made her way, slowly, over to where Jacqueline sat. "You're Jacqueline right?" She asked once she was close enough.

Jacqueline nodded her head, "It's Jackie." She corrected Veronica, who shrugged and took a seat on an unoccupied couch.

"I've always hated it when people disgrace their name by going by nicknames. Although Margaret doesn't look like her name, but you don't look like your nickname."

"Maggie is someone you name your four year old." Margret looked up from her book to narrow her eyes at Veronica, who crossed her legs and shrugged.

"So what is Margaret?" Veronica tilted her head to the side in question.

_"My name."_ Margaret stated firmly.

"I don't really care what you call me, my mom still calls me Jacqueline so.."

"Ew, no nevermind. I don't want to be reminded of someone's mom." Veronica had a sour look on her face and Jacqueline managed to smirk.

"Jackie it is then." David announced from his place at the book shelf. Veronica looked over her shoulder and nodded.

"Crap." Margaret hissed as she read through the book.

Millicent looked over on the floor where her sister sat, her back propped up against the couch. "What is it?" Just then, for the first time, sun came through the skylight and fell on Jacqueline.

With a quick jump, Millicent brought a nearby blanket over her body and covered herself head to toe under it. Only her eyes and the tip of her head remained visible and Jacqueline looked over at her with a furrowed eyebrow.

"Someone cover it, good grief." David demanded, but everyone else simply stared at Millicent with concern until he finally walked over to another part of the wall where a long rope hung. Jacqueline watched him tug on it and a moment later a curtain fell over the ceiling, covering the sun. "There, Millicent you're fine now."

Millicent slowly brought the blanket away from her face. A moment later a burning scent came to her nose, "Is something burning?"

Jacqueline was too confused with what had just happened to notice something hot against her back. She quickly looked over her shoulder to see small burnt marks on her blue sweater. "What the hell?" She hissed and quickly threw the sweater off. There was a t-shirt she wore underneath and she threw the sweater into the middle of the room for everyone to see.

David looked over at the sweater and his eyes widened,. _Impossible."_


	5. Chapter 5

"What is?" A new and unfamiliar voice asked. Everyone turned their attention to the young woman standing in the doorway. A moment later she was walking towards the couch where Quentin lay, purposefully stepping in front of him to cover his view of the TV.

"Move!" Quentin whined at the girl but she only laughed and leaned in to kiss him. He only pulled her closer to him as the room echoed disgusted reactions. Quentin pulled away from the girl but kept his hands on his way, scowling at his family over his shoulder. "A husband can kiss his wife, can he not?"

_Wife?_ Jacqueline thought. It seemed impossible that Quentin was truly the age of the typical married man.

Still, the room went silent with Quentin's comment. He nodded his head once before turning his head back to the girl, "Are you alright Roslyn?" He asked in a whisper. His voice held a heavy amount of concern, making Jacqueline wonder why a perfectly healthy girl like her would be any otherwise.

_Why would you think that? You look perfectly healthy, but you're mentally sick._ Jacqueline pushed away her insecure thoughts for the moment as the girl nodded her head once.

"I'm fine." Roslyn answered with a small smile. Quentin appeared inconvinced, but he still nodded his head. "And who are you?"

Jacqueline had been too focused on the frown that had formed on Quentin's lips to notice that Rosyln's eyes were now on hers instead of Quentin's. Nervously; She cleared her throat. "Jackie, David's step-sister."

Roslyn's eyes moved to David, who was standing a few feet away from where Jacqueline sat on the edge of a round table. There were five of these tables, all placed near the bookshelves. Without Quentin's Nintendo, Jacqueline thought, the room looked more like a library than anything else.

"You never told me you have a step-sister. Or that your parents are divorced." Rosylnstated, her eyes narrowed in David's direction.

"My parents aren't divorced, _my mother died._" David answered plainly. At these words Jacqueline looked over in David's direction. His face held no sorrow, remorse - it was if his own mother's death meant nothing. "And my father ran away, and then came back a month ago _with a wife and daughter."_

Jacqueline couldn't help but notice the way David said these words ; A small scowl had formed on his lips, and he had bitten them after he had stopped speaking, It occured to Jackie a moment later that he had called Jacqueline Roger's daughter, which was an insult to Jackie. "I'm not his daughter, I'm his _step_-daughter." She corrected him. She saw him roll his eyes.

"How long was your father gone?" Roslyn asked and Jackie noticed David bite his lip.

"Eighteen years." David finally answered and Lina's eyes widenened.

"Asshole...!" Roslyn muttered and Jackie nodded her head with David in agrrement.

"What did I do now?" A male voice echoed in the hallway and a moment later a young teenage boy was smiling at the group. He looked around until his eyes fell on Margaret. Her eyes were still fixated on her book and the boy cleared his throat. "Meg." He muttered and her head shot up in surprise.

"You're up?" Margaret's eyes widened as she closed the book in her lap and set it on the floor beside her. He nodded his head and made his way towards the couch she was leaning against. He took a seat above her while the rest of the room was silent. Jackie wondered if she was the only one who didn't know Bane.

Roslyn let out a sigh before turning to look at Quentin, "I love how my own little brother doesn't even try to get to know his in laws."

"Wait-" Bane cut into his sister's conversation, "She's your sister Q?"

Quentin was quick to shake his head and to turn his head to the side in David's direction, "She's his sister."

"Step-Sister." Jackie corrected him and she and David exchanged an aggitated look between each other.

"So she's not a-" Bane had started but his sister was quick to cut him off.

"Bane.." Her sister warned and he shut his mouth and did not dare to say another word.

However, Jacqueline was too determined to find out why people kept cutting off each others sentences. There was something she didn't know, that was obvious - but she was determined to know what it was. "So I'm not a Collinses? You mean to say?" She offered ; He seemed relieved as he nodded.

"No you didn't." Jackie shook her head an looked to David and then turned her attention towards the rest of the people in the room. "What the hell is going on?"

Bane caught a glimpse of the still smoking jacket that lay in the center of the room, "Well I just got here..." He muttered and Jacqueline frowned. His eyes met hers for a moment, "Is that your jacket?" Bane pointed at it and she was quick to nod her head.

"And all I did was stand in the sun." Jackie looked at everyone in the room as she spoke. She was confused to see them all look back at her nervously, "What?"

It was Veronica who spoke up first, "Well it all explains why you're so pale - you never go out in the sun."

Jacqueline looked confused, "I do too."

"But then how did your jacket catch on fire just by hitting the sunlight?" Millcent asked with wide eyes.

"Maybe it's just really hot?" Jackie offered, though she hadn't ever considered it until now. She tried to amuse them all by smiling faintly but they all looked back at her with narrowed eyes ; They all looked as if they were trying to read her.

"She holds the scent ; Smoke and death. But I also smell polished glass and fresh roses."

"The scent of a witch." David stated and Margaret slowly nodded her head.

"So she's...both." Roslyn's eyes widened as she ever so slowly made eye contact with David. "This has to be impossible."

"It is." Jackie spoke up in a hiss and the entire room looked to her. Each of their faces held a frown, but it was David who stepped forward from behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Instead of moving out of his hold like she wanted to she slowly looked over her shoulder, _"What am I?" _

David Sighed.

"So I'm a vampire and a witch? So whoever my father was...He was like this too? Half and Half?" Jackie was sitting in between David and Millicent at a round table in the corner of the media room.

"It could explain why you are able to go out into the sun, because your mother isn't immortal." Vernoica nodded as she pushed a loose blond strand of hair behind her ear.

"That's a lie." Margaret stated plainly. The entire table turned to look at her in an instant.

Margaret was a telepath, someone who can read minds and block people from reading her own. On top of this ability was the power to physically multiply herself and she let out a sigh and looked over at her copy. Her copy was still reading Edgar Allen Poe at the bottom of the couch. Margaret rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the group. "I've got like a hundred words coming into my brain every half minute I'm sorry-" She paused to snap and in an instant the copy disappeared into thin air. Jackie watched in disbelief as the book closed itself as it fell to the floor.

"Are you saying Jackie's mother is an immortal?" Bane asked and Margaret nodded.

"But wouldn't she tell me?" Jackie offered but Margaret shook her head.

"She kept thinking, 'Oh god please don't let her find out about magic ; Lord knows how hard I worked to keep her out of that." and "I had to marry the only mortal of a immortal family."

"So she knows we're immortal." David realized and Margaret nodded again.

"She's been wondering if Jackie's immortal like her or her father." Margaret stated and Jackie's attention immediately went back to Margaret. "

She knew that my father was immortal?"

"Yes, though she never thought his name. Probably because she figured there was someone in this house who has the ability to read her mind - or knows someone who does." Margaret let out a sigh and tilted her head so that it would lay on Bane's shoulder.

"So is she a witch or a vampire?" Jackie asked but Margaret shrugged.

"Honestly I didn't smell anything on her, niether did Abby. She smells like vanilla."

"And Vanilla is the smell of a...? Jackie's voice trailed off at the sound of Veronica sighing.

"A mortal." Veronica answered, "So maybe she was an immortal, but she isn't anymore."

"But nonetheless she knows who my dad is...and she knows a lot about this family..." Jackie's voice trailed off as she tried to put the two together.

"Well I promise you none are of age to be your father, Jackie." Quentin smirked, as did Bane, but David didn't join in. His face remained firm, expressionless ; Too focused.

"Does your mother dye her hair, Jackie?" David looked down at Jackie and his eyes widned when she moved her head in a nod. "What is her natural color?"

"Brown." Jackie answered with a slight bit of hesitance in her voice.

"She must look exactly like Angelique Bouchard when her hair is brown." Bane commented normally and a moment later his face froze, "Holy shit."

"Mom!" Jackie screamed from her place at the chair and David jumped back at the sound of a nearby mirror breaking. Jackie heard the glass break but ignored it and continued storming out of the room and down the hallway. She needed answers, _now._


End file.
